Kolkata: Durga Puja, one of the grandest Hindu festivals, will be celebrated in 2025 from September 28 to October 2, with Mahalaya marking the beginning of Devi Paksha on September 21.

The festival, especially popular in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, and Jharkhand, is celebrated with pandals, dhak beats, new clothes, cultural performances, and festive feasts.

This five-day celebration honours Goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasura, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.

The rituals begin a week before the main Puja days, starting with Mahalaya, when devotees pay homage to ancestors and listen to the iconic Mahisasura Mardini recital by Birendra Krishna Bhadra.

On this day, artisans also perform Chokku Daan, the ritual of painting Maa Durga’s eyes.

Durga Puja 2025 Calendar – Full Schedule

  • Mahalaya Amavasya – September 21
  • Bilva Nimantran – September 27
  • Shashthi (Puja Begins) – September 28
  • Maha Saptami, Kolabou Puja – September 29
  • Maha Ashtami, Sandhi Puja – September 30
  • Maha Navami, Navami Homa – October 1
  • Vijayadashami, Sindoor Khela, Durga Visarjan – October 2

Each day carries its own cultural and spiritual significance. On Shashthi, the idol of the goddess is unveiled and rituals of welcome are performed.

On Saptami, the Nabapatrika Snan takes place, where nine symbolic plants are bathed and placed beside the goddess’s idol.

Maha Ashtami and Navami are considered the most sacred, while Vijayadashami concludes the festivities with visarjan (immersion of idols) and the ritual of Sindoor Khela, where married women smear each other with vermilion, signifying strength and sisterhood.

Durga Puja is not just a religious festival but also a cultural extravaganza that brings communities together in devotion, joy, and celebration.